Successful home salons??

[Vicki84]

Hi all,

I am at the stage where I have trained with Creative, practiced on every willing hand including my own and the obliging nail trainer and now feel quite confident with the nails I am creating. I am doing a make-up course in August and then will either go mobile or set up a home salon. I was hoping that any of you lovely geeks out there who already have a home salon could share your experiences with me. How do you feel about inviting a stranger into your home? Do you find that people are put off by the fact that it is a home salon? Im just trying to find the safest way to be self employed now a days as we all know you have to be so careful.

Any advice would be much appreciated?

xxx

 

[Bagpuss]

I have home based salon and its worked out very well.

Clients are always very surprised to see my little room all set up proffesionally....I think that makes a big difference. Using a corner of the kitchen or dinning room table can give out the wrong impression no matter how good a nail tech you are.....it shouldn't make a difference but it does and I can understand why.

So I do think a separate room from the rest of the home is best.

I can offer hours that most "real" salons cant/don't....the hours I offer are full time and plus some..starting at (9.30am and through till often 9pm with a break at 3pm to do school run)....obviously some days are busier than others...as with any salon.

I also love that between clients I can pop some washing in and wiz round with the hoover....:lol:

 

[Trudie9]

bagpuss how did you find getting clients for a home bassed salon because you cant really get passing trade but like you said you can offer hours salons cant so what would be your best tip of actually getting the clients to come to a home based salon

 

[Vicki84]

Thanks Bagpuss I do have a spare room that if I decide to go ahead I will use as I totally agree it looks so much more professional.

Trudie thats a good point, theres so much to think about. x

 

[Bagpuss]

I did a advert in our local rag...so it went out to every house in the village.

I have a free one liner in yellow pages and that automatically puts you on yell.com

I asked local hairdressers if i could leave some cards and take some of theirs too.

From there on it was just word of mouth....

I think passing trade when home based would all depend on where you lived...I bet there are no more than 10 people walk past my house all week...:lol:

I cant say I have felt i am missing out on passing trade at all.

 

[Trudie9]

thats good thanks for the advised

 

[Vicki84]

Thanks Bagpuss.

Does anyone else with a home salon have any advice? xx

 

[Brandywine]

I have a home salon which is all set up just for treatments. I have found that flyer's through doors every so often has been the best advertising for me (other than by recommendations).
I seem to appeal to a slightly different client base, as people who come to me tend to be people that wouldn't go to a high street salon (e.g men, older women).
I love the fact that I have the best worlds. I can fit work around my kids, but can also offer lots of evening appointments to fit around my clients needs.

 

[kylz]

I have a home salon (and mobile service), i chose a room just off of the enterance hallway, so theres no need to wander through my house.

As i am living in the country now, alot of my clients are word of mouth.
I have advertised in the local paper also.

When i was living in the city, i was in a salon but also worked as mobile and i never advertised, it was just all word of mouth.

 

[geeg]

It is word of mouth and reputation but it takes time to get those mouths talking and good work to get the reputation.

I'm not trying to put you off. Not at all. I built my business from a home salon in the early years. But neither is it as easy as these peeps make it sound. And a bit misleading as many of the techs who have replied to you are part time and do not have a huge client base; just nice and regular which is fine, but it depends what YOU want from your business.

To get those initial clients you will have to work at it. People have to know where you are. You need to hustle your bustle and get out there with your cards and plonk them everywhere and ask everybody you know to help and to carry them too. At School, the supermarket, womans groups and clubs and gyms and anywhere women hang out ... clothing shops etc. And be prepared to offer some free nails to those who will be willing to promote you and your services so they can show people what you do. Many many ideas I'm sure you will think of yourself. Good luck

 

[suzybaby]

I have a home salon which is located just off my hallway so people are not walking through my house and Geeg is right it is very hard to get off the ground. The main thing to consider is allow a proportion of your set up money for advertising. The key is to get your name known.

Also be prepared to walk for miles delivering leaflets. I am just starting to get a very small client base.

The results are not instant as a lady rang me last week for treatment and she got my leaflet through the door last year!!!

My nest step to promote my salon is to get decals on my car and I've been considering getting some on my local taxi company.

I couldn't live off my earnings from the salon yet, but it's tricky as you have to devote alot of time to the salon to answer any calls, as in my area they don't ring my mobile number just my landline, and 9 times out of 10 if I don't pick up they won't leave a message, just move on to the next salon if ringing for the first time.

It's difficult as to subsidise lack of earnigings you may need to get a part time job in the beginning but then you have to get the balance right!!

My soloution is I'm off to uni to do a complimentary therapies degree which is two days a week this will help subsidise my salon and I'll gain more education.
I hop my experiances help . Good luck with it all as it has alot of positives to having a home salon.
:hug:

 

[Vicki84]

Thank You all for your help and advice. I really appreciate you all taking the time to reply. I will take all your comments on board. xx

 

[JANEY K]

I have a home salon it's the spare room just off the top of the stairs although i am investing a log cabin as it is gotton a bit much with clients coming into my house.but i still get my regulars.. alot of my clients are word of mouth. thats how i'm advertised but in process of being advised & helped by a fellow geek on websites. ive never advertised thru leaflets or cards but getting round to that at some point, but to cut long story short it was just all word of mouth.